Ringo's Requiem

Chapter 14: Here and Now

Ringo opened his eyes and lowered the gun instantly, taking in a breath.

In front of him, a few feet away, were John, Paul and George, and they were all looking at him with wide eyes.

Ringo's blood ran cold as they continued to stare at each other silently, not knowing what to do.

Slowly, the drummer put the gun down at his side, not breaking eye contact with the other Beatles in front of him.

How did they know he was here?

What are they going to do?

The questions echoed around in Ringo's head the more they stared at each other.

Breath shallow, Ringo allowed a single tear to roll down his cheek as he closed his eyes and lowered his head down, face being hidden by his hair.

He sniffled.

"Just... J-just go away..." He spoke, voice quiet and shaky.

John, Paul and George all stepped forward, looking at each other in turn.

Ringo put his face in his hands as he began to whimper quietly.

"L-leave me alone... P-please...."

He couldn't bare to be seen like this. 

To be caught about to commit suicide by his friends was something that Ringo couldn't have prepared for. It was hard enough to gather the courage to do what he had done so far.

There was no way he could handle this easily.

The footsteps stopped right in front of him, and Ringo finally let out a sob.

"I... I-I..."

Whole body shaking, Ringo kept his face hidden in his hands, not wanting to look up.

They would just yell at him, saying that what he was doing was wrong.

He knew it was wrong, but his limits could only go so far for all the pain he could endure.

"Ringo..."

John's voice, unusually soft and calm, surprised Ringo, but the drummer kept his face hidden as he began to sob more.

"P-please... D-don't be m-mad... I..."

Ringo paused, feeling a hand place itself on the side of his head gently.

Paul's hand grasped at Ringo's hair as he contemplated what to say.

"Look at us," he whispered gently as he knelt on the ground, John kneeling in front of the drummer as George knelt at his other side.

Chest heaving with suppressed sobs, Ringo put his hands down, but he kept his head hung low as he squinted his eyes shut.

George placed a hand on his shoulder, caressing it.

"We're n-not mad," he whispered calmly.

John stared at Ringo, taking note as to how much his body was shaking.

"Just... Please... Open your eyes," the guitarist stated in the same calm voice.

Ringo clenched his teeth together, trying to hold back the sobbing as he slowly raised his head up, George and Paul keeping their hands on him all the while.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and stared at John, glasses perfectly straight across his face as his brown eyes stared into his own.

The drummer only stared at him for a second before the need to cry out became too great.

Letting out a loud sob, Ringo leaned forward, closing his eyes as he wrapped his arms around John, burying his face in the younger one's shoulder.

George and Paul all shuffled closer and joined in the hug as well.

Ringo let out all of the sadness that he had been forced to carry for so long, his cries and sobs echoing throughout the field.

"I... I'm sorry!" He cried out.

"This... It w-was stupid! I c-couldn't... I couldn't... T-take all t-the... The... T-the..."

"Shh," John said, patting his back as George and Paul caressed the drummer.

"You don't have to apologize," Paul stated softly.

"You... You still like us, don't you?" George asked, remembering the contents of the note he found at the studio.

He just wanted to be sure that Ringo still had some feelings for them in the moment.

"O-of... Of c-course I do!"

Ringo's voice cracked as his sobbing died down, still hiding his face in John's shoulder as his tears leaked onto his clothes.

Slowly, John stood up, pulling the drummer to his feet.

George and Paul stood up as well, and they shared apprehensive looks with John.

"W-what should we do now?" Paul asked, taking Ringo in his embrace, letting the drummer hide his head in his shoulder.

George sighed.

"The... Studio? Where else could we go?"

John nodded.

"That... Seems for the best..."

Ringo, now whimpering, opened his eyes and saw John  join at his side, Paul keeping an arm wrapped around him as he pulled away.

The drummer kept his gaze on the ground, putting his hands in his pockets as George picked up the gun from the ground.

Hiding it in his jacket, George placed a hand on Ringo's back gently.

"We're not angry at you, Ringo. I promise."

Ringo was silent.

"You're... Y-you're not g-going to t-tell me wife a-about this... Are y-you?"

John, Paul, and George all looked at each other for a moment.

Paul eventually opened his mouth to respond.

"Well... No, but..."

He sighed.

"We... W-we need to go b-back to the studio and... Talk."

John and George nodded slowly, seeing how Ringo flinched in response.

George rubbed Ringo's head.

"Sorry Ringo, but... We n-need to."

"I understand," Ringo stated quietly, voice raw.

Silently, The Beatles all walked out of the field.